Master valve mechanism for vacuum sealing machines



g- 1932- G. A. BARDET ET AL MASTER VALVE MECHANISM FOR VACUUMSEALING'MACHINES Filed Feb. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 02057- OR6E V.Bazaar GEORLILVEHU'T R OR E 5 m Aug. 30, 1932.

MASTER VALVE MECHANISM FOR VACUUM SEALING MACHINES Filed Feb. 7. 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 44 4/ I i?7 i l 4/ i i 27 (f 7 Ll P 6 J A? j II F L, l M

INVENTOR 01866 1?. Baeosr 'soes A TORNEYS i Patented Aug. '30, 1932UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE GEORGE A. BARDET AND GEORGE V. BABDET, OI

EY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOBS TO M. J. B. (30., OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIIOBNIA, A CORPORATION 01' DELAWARE MASTER VALVE MECHANISI FOR VACUUMSEALING MACHINE Application filed February 7, 1988. Serial No. 5252 520This invention relates toimprovemerits in machines for sealingvacuumized containers,

' and it has particular reference to machines of that characterdescribed and illustrated 5 in U. S. Patent No. 1,531,018, issued onMarch and within which vented cans may be placed 7 for vacuumizing andsealing.

In the machine above referred to, all of the vacuumizing chambers haveindividual connections with a main vacuum chamber and for each chamberthere are valves operable at proper times, first to efl'ect and then,later, to release the vacuum. In the operation of the machine, cans" tobe vacuumized and sealed are delivered into the vacuumizing chambers asAthey are brought successively, by rotation of the machine, past areceiving station, then, as the chamber advances, it is closed tight andthe valve in'its connection with the vacuum chamber is opened so thatall air will be extracted from the vacuumizing chamber and also from thevented can. Then, while still under vacuum, the can vent is sealed andfinally the sealed can is discharged from the machine in such time thatthe chamber may receive another can therein when it again reaches thereceiving station.

'Machines of this type have proven very eflicient in operation, but ithas been found that where but'one source of vacuum was employed and allthe vacuumizin chambers were connected thereto, a fluctuation of vacuumoccurs in all chambers connected to this main sourceeachtime a valve isopened for the vacuumizing of a newly charged chamber. This fluctuationsometimes causes the sealing metal, if it is still in molten state, tobe blown ofl' the can vent or its being sucked into the can, therebyrendering the seal ineffective and necessitating another sealingoperation.

In view of the above undesirable result, it has been the principalobject of this invention to provide means for preventing the occurrenceof any fluctuation of vacuum in any of the chambers wherein sealing isbe ing done regardless of the opening or closing of connections withother vacuumizing cham- More specifically stated, the object of thisinvention resides in the elimination of the two valve mechanismsheretofore used with each of the vacuumizing chambers and theiroperating. devices, and in the substitution therefor of ifmaster valvefor all the vacuumizing chambers; this being provided with two separate,vaouumized compartments, the

first 0 which is effective only for the initial vacuumizing of thechambers and the containers therein, and the other becomes connectedwith the chambers only after they have been vacuumized and disconnectedfrom the first compartment, and its function is to maintain the vacuumpreviously created therein without fluctuation during the vent sealingoperation.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details ofconstruction and the combination of parts and their mode of operatilon,as is hereinafter described. e

In accomplishing these objects, we have provided the improved details ofconstruction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherem- Figure 1 is a planview of a machine forvacuumizing containers, embodying a master valve mechanism constructedand applied in accordance with-the present invention. T

Figure 2 is an enlarged, sectional view of a part of the machine,showing one of the vacuumizing and can sealing unlts.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the master valve, showing alsoa connection with one of the vacuumizin chambers.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the valve, taken on the line 4-4 inFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a' vertical section through the machlne in its axial line.

The machine as shown comprises a bed plate 1, on which a hollow shaft2'is vertically mounted and to the u per portion of this shaft is fixeda cam trac plate 3 upon which an insulator plate 4 is supported by aplurality of studs 5. On the insulator plate, two

concentric contact rings 66' are mounted.

At the lower endof the shaft 2, a thrust motion to-the worm wheel and,in turn, is

driven by the pulley 20 fixed on the outer end of the shaft. The pulley20 is connected by a belt 21 to a motor 22 mounted on a suitable bracket23 arranged on the bed plate. 7

Fixed to the rotary frame, is a plurality of tubular brackets 27 whichextend downward--- ly on the outside of the stationary, circular wall 28mounted on the bed plate. Slidably mounted in each tubular bracket, is ashank 29 on the top of which is fixed the table 31 upon which the can tobe operated on is placed, the fixed flange 32 serving to center the canon the table. A plunger 33, having the head 34 normally lying flush withthe top of the table, is slidably arranged within the tables shank and,at the lower end, is fitted with a fixed block 36 between which and thelower end of the shank 29 the coiled spring 37 is interposed. The block36 is formed with a side extension adapted to slide in the slot 38formed in the inner side of the tubular bracket. Rotary movement of theplunger in the block and of the table on the plunger is prevented bysuitable splines interposed between the parts. A roller 41, mounted onthe block 36, engages in the cam track 42 fixed on the circular wall 28,and thus, by appropriate shaping of the cam track, vertical movement asdesired may be imparted to the table and plunger.

Alined above each table 31, is an open bottom casing 43 rigidly mountedupon the retary frame by means of a bracket 44. The lower edge of thecasing is flanged and provided with a conformable gasket 45, and thepurposes of the cam track 42 and the related parts are such that, at thedesired time, table 31 is raised into sealed engagement with the gasket,thus tightly closing the casing; it being understood, of course, thatthe cams are of uniform size.

Means are provided for automatically seat-.v

ing cans upon the can tables during rotation of the rotary frame and forremoving them from the machine upon completion of the vacuumizing andsealing operation. Briefly stated, the seating means comprises aconveyer belt 46 and a star wheel 47 which is synchronized to delivercans from the belt onto the can tables, and the removing means consistsof an outgoing conveyer belt 48 onto which cans are guided from themachine by contact with'a guidev plate 49.

' It will be stated here that, in forming the can'heads, the center ofthe upper head is slightly depressed and punctured, as shown in Figure2. The puncture serves as a vent through which the air may be drawn fromthe interior of the can before the can is sealed in shaft is providedwith a copper point 52 which is surrounded by a heating element 53energized through suitable conductors which, in turn, are connected withleads 54 and 55 fixed to binding posts 56 and 57 on the plate 10. Thelower ends of the binding posts are provided with brushes 58 which formcontacts with the rings 6 and heavy, insulated conductors 60 leadingupwardly through the hollow shaft 2 supply the rings with current. Atthe proper time in the se quence of operation, the tipping iron islowered into contact with the solder on the can, fusing it over thevent, and is then immediately withdrawn. This is accomplishedby means ofa lever 65 pivotally mounted on the bracket 44 and pivotally connectedto the shaft 50 of the tipping iron at one end and mounting alroller 66at the other end. A cam track 67, fixed on the cam track plate 3,provides means for moving the lever at the proper time.

The means provided for vacuumizing the" chambers after the cans havebeen placed therein and after the chambers have been closed, but priorto the sealing operation, is as follows: Located centrally above themachine, is a master valve through which all vacuumizing chambers areconnected with a source of vacuum. This valve comprises a closed, innerhousing 70, of cylindrical form, mounted coaxially upon the upper end ofthe shaft 2 just above the plate 10; the mounting means here shownconsisting of a downwardly extending sleeve 71 formed on the bottom ofthe housing, that is fixed.

revolves with the revolving frame of the ma-.

chine. Formed in this base portion 81, at equally spaced intervals, andcorraponding in number to the'number of vacuumizing chambers in themachine, are radially directed channels 82 which, at their inner ends,

are directed upwardly and open to the innerthrough the housin 70.Leading from the outer ends of the c annels 82, are pipes 87 whichconnect with the various vacuumizing chambers provided by the casings43. The pipes 87 enter these casings 43 at the top, as shown in Figure2. An oil seal may be pro: vided between the stationary and rotatingvalve parts to prevent any possible leakage,

and these parts may be held together by any suitable means, such as bythe placing of an iron ring 88 overithe two parts and bolting the ringto the revolvin parts with spring tensioning devices 89 ho ding thestationary part in the oil seal.

In operation, the incoming cans, which, it is understood, have beenpacked, the heads seamed on and with a. vent in the upper head of each,are supplied by any desired means with a small quantity of solder andflux before they reach the star wheel which operates to deposit'a can oneach table as the rotary frame revolves. As a can reaches the point A inFigure 1, the table is raised into contact with the lower edge of itscorresponding vacuumizing chamber to seal the latter. Afte'r the chamberhas thus been sealed,'the inner end of the channel 82 in the valvecasing 80, with which the tube 87 leadin from this particularchamberconnects, is brought into registration with the valve slot 84and, in this way, connection is provided, through the chamber 74 of themastervalve and the pipe 76, with the source of vacuum. The chamber andcan are thus vacuumized and the container is ready for sealing. Furtherrotative movement of the machine and the valve casing brings the channel82 into registration with the slot 85 in the bottom wall of thecompartment 75 and thus connection is maintained with the source ofvacuum through this compartment and the pipe 77. During the time thechannel 82 travels from the final end of slot 84 to the final end ofslot 85, that is, through the interval designated from B to C in Figure1, the sealing operation takes place byactuation of the soldering irondownwardly against the piece of solder carried'on the can top whichcauses the solder to melt and cover the vent in the can end. The fusedsolder is'then given a short cooling interval with no fluctuation indegree of vacuum and, when the can has progressed'to the positiondesignated at D in Figure 1, the channel 82 comes into registration withthe intake port 86 through the housing which permits air to rush intothe vacuumized chamber. The can then begins its return to loweredposition and, at the position E, is caught by. the guide 49 and divertedto the outgoing conveyer.

It is to be pointed out here that by providing the machine with a mastervalve of this character, having the two separate compartments eachconnected with a source of vacuum of great volume and with which thevacuumizing chambers are caused, as the ma: chine rotates, to besuccessively connected, the, previously noted damage done to the solderbefore it has cooled by fluctuation of vacuum in the sealing chambers isovercome; this being due to the fact that the chambers 43 are completelyvacuumized through their connection with the first compartment of themaster valve and this state of vacuum is maintained by connection withthe second compartment. Fluctuation of vacuum will occur, of course, inthe compartment 74 by reason of the fact that air filled chambers arebeing brought regularly into communication with it, butsealing of thecontainers does not take place while the chambers are incommunicationwith compartment 74 but only after they have been cut off from thiscompartment and brought into communication "with the second compartment.No fluctuation of vacuum will occur in this second compartment for thereason that the chambers are completely vacuumized by the time they arebrought into communication with it.

It' is to be understood that a master valve of this character can beused with various types of rotary machines whether or not theyuse thesame type of sealing or solderin mechanism. For this reason, it is notdesirefi that our claims be confined to the use of a valve of thischaracter only with that particular mechanism with which it has beendescribed.

Having thus described our invention, what i we claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is I f v 1. A vacuumizing machinecomprising a plurality'of vacuumizing chambers, a source of vacuum'and amaster valve for timing the application of vacuum from the source toeach of the vacuumizing chambers.

2. A vacuumizing machine comprising a plurality of vacumizing chambers,a source of vacuum and a master valve for timing the application ofvacuum from said source to each of'the vacuumizing chambers andreleasing of the vacuum therefrom.

3. A vacuumizing machine comprising a plurality of vacuumizing chambers,a source of vacuum, means for sealing cans while contained in saidchambers under vacuum and a under vacuum, a source of vacuum and amaster valve connected with said source and with the several chambersfor timing the api wherein sealing IS containers plication of vacuum andadapted to. preclude any inter-communicatlon, through the vacuumizingconnections, between those chambers in progress and those whereinvacuumization is being efiected.

5. In a machine of the character described, comprising aplurality ofvacuumizing chambers within which vented placed for sealing and meansfor sealing the while located in the chambers'under vacuum, a source ofvacuum and a master valve for timing the application of vacuum to andits release from the chambers and Qwhereby the chambers in which thesealing operation is being carried on are disconnect ed from thosewherein vacuumization is being effected and those which are opentoatmosphere. l I

6. A machine of the character described comprising a plurality ofvacuumizing chambers and means for sealing vented cans while containedin said chambers under vacuum, a source of vacuum anda master valveconnected with id source of vaccum through which all chambers may bevacuumized andwhereb each chamber, after being vacuumized and during thesealing operation', is caused to be disconnected from those chamberswherein vacuumizing is taking place.

7. A machine of the character described comprising a plurality ofvacuumizing chambers and means for sealing vented cans while containedin said chambers under vacuum,

. a source of vacuum and a master valve connected with the said sourceof vacuum and individually with each of the said chambers and comprisingseparate vacuumized compartments with which the chambers aresuccessively connected, first for effecting their vacuumization and thenfor maintaining thisvacuum during the sealing operation.

8. A machine of the character described comprising a plurality ofvacuumizing chambers, means for sealing vented cans while contained insaid chambers under vacuum, a constant source of vacuum and a mastervalve for timing the vacuumization of the chambers and comprisingseparate compartments individually connected with the source of vacuumand a member associated therewith operable to connect the-chambers,first with one of said compartments to effect vacuumization of thechamber, and then with the other compartment to maintain the vaccumduring the sealing operation.

9. Ina machine of thecharacter described,

containers may be a M H comprising a plurality df vacuumizing chambers,a constant source of vacuum and a mas ter valve for timing theapplication of vacuum to the chambers, comprising a closed housingprovided; with two separate compartmen'ts individually connected withthe source of vacuum'and a movable member providing an individualconnectlon w1th each of the vacuumizing chambers and which is mov- Iable to successively connect the chambers,

first with one (if sa1d compartments for vacuumizing, and then with theother for maintaining the vacuum, and means operable to seal the canswhile their chambers are in communication with the second of saidcompartments.

10. A machine of the character described comprising a plurality ofvacuumizing cham-- 'bers, a constant source of vacuum, a master valvefor timing the application of vacuum to and its release from saidchambers, com prising astationary housing provided with two separatecompartments individually connected with the source of vacuum, and acasing fitted thereon through which individual connections are made witheachof the vacuumizing chambers and which is movable to successivelyconnect the chambers, first with one of said compartments to effectvacuumization, and then with the other compartment to maintain thevacuum, and means for tipping the cans in the chambers during theperiods of connection of said chambers with the second of saidcompartments.

11. In a machine of the character described, a rotary frame, a pluralityof vacuumizing chambers carried thereby wherein vented containers may besealed while held under vacuum, a constant source of vacuum, a mastervalve for timing the application of vacuum andits release from the saidchambers, comprising a stationary housing provided -with two separatecompartments having individual connections with the source of vacuum anda casing rotatable thereon with the frame and having channels thereinconnected individually with each of said chambers and adapted, byrotation of the casing, to be brought successively into communication,first with one of said compartments to effect vacuumization of thechambers. and then with the other to maintain the vacuum, and meansoperable to seal the cans while the chambers are in connection with thesecond compartment of the valve.

12. In a machine of the chara ter described,

a rotary frame, a plurality o vacuumizing chambers carried therebywherein vented consource of vacuum, a casing fitted to said housing torevolve thereon with the frame; said casing being provided with channelsconnected individually with the vacuumizing chambers and adapted, onrotation of the casing to be brought successively into registration withthe slots of said vacuumized compartments of the housing, and means forseal-' ing the cans in said chambers while the latter are incommunication with the vacuum reached compartment.

13. In a machine of the character described, a rotary frame, a pluralityof vacuumizing chambers carried thereby wherein vented containers may besealed while held under vacuum, a constant source of vacuum. a mastervalve for timing the application of vacuum to and its release from thesaid chambers, comprising a stationary housing provided'with an exhaustport therethrough and two separate compartments having individualconnections with the source of vacuum and a valve casing rotatablethereon and having channels therein connected individually with each ofsaid chambers and adapted, by rotation of the casing, to be broughtsuccessively into communication, first with one of said compartments toefi'ect vacuumization of the chambers, then with the other to maintainthe vacuum, and finally into registrationwith the inlet port to releasethe vacuum, and means for sealing the cans in the chambers while thelatter are in communication with the second of said compartments.

Signed at San Francisco, California, this 30th day of January, 1928.

GEORGE A. BARDET. GEORGE V. BARDET.

